


Unseen Wound

by Nuraicha



Category: Muse (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Ancient Rome, Alternate Universe - Historical, Implied Sexual Content, M/M, Saturnalia, Slavery
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-06
Updated: 2016-01-06
Packaged: 2018-05-12 02:07:12
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 715
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5649748
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nuraicha/pseuds/Nuraicha
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Matt and Dom celebrate Christmas together. Except that they aren't quite named like that, and neither this festivity is what your traditional Christmas looks like.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Unseen Wound

**Author's Note:**

> After more than a year without posting anything in English, I have decided to get back to show my work. Many thanks to [DarthTofu](http://archiveofourown.org/users/DarthTofu/pseuds/DarthTofu) for such a thorough and estimulating beta-reading <3
> 
> **Disclaimer:** This is fiction and I'm certain it never happened. I mean no harm to the real people whose physical looks I use here for portraying my characters. I'm not making money off this.

_... But then a madness just the same returns_

_And that old fury visits them again,_

_When once again they seek and crave to reach_

_They know not what, all powerless to find_

_The artifice to subjugate the bane._

_In such uncertain state they waste away_

_With unseen wound._

 

 

“This is not how it should be celebrated, you know that?”

“Of course I do. But no one, and especially not you, is going to tell me how this evening should be played out.”

“Such a rebel… Aren’t you afraid of unleashing the god’s fury?

“Let’s get this straight: I very much doubt that what we’re doing, during a festivity such as this one, which already involves so much debauchery, dissipation and freedom, will cause him any kind of resentment.”

“Oi! That hurt!”

“Come on, you sound like a whiny maiden. I know you have endured some tough beatings, and you are now complaining about a playful bite in your nipple? As if you hadn’t liked it…”

“Alright, but I wasn’t expecting it. You were supposed to make a morsel of that date, not my flesh!”

“Oh, but your nipples are so pert and their taste is superb. Every time I get close to them, a solitary thought fills my mind: to lick, to suck, to bite them; anything to make you whimper and get lost on your desires towards my body.”

" _Venus!_ When you speak like that… Oh, my master, have mercy. Finish your supper quickly for I need to feel you inside me. Take me until Helios’ chariot rises above the horizon; I crave your member thrusting into me!”

“My, my, too indecorous you are, my beloved _Matthaee_. You shouldn’t be so impatient; after all, I have only started this delicious _patina_ your good old mother cooked and I’d rather eat it before it cools completely… Although your belly is so hot to the touch that maybe it will keep it warm.”

“You can eat the damned soufflé any other time of the year, but only tonight are we allowed to do this.”

“You tell the truth. Only tonight can slaves dine before their masters. Only tonight can a role reversal occur and _patricii_ might be ordered around by those whom they own. Only tonight, I kneel beside my own mattress, feasting on excellent preparations and ready to worship every inch of your body… If only you told me so, _domine_.”

“I see… So that is what you have been waiting for all evening, is not, my dear _Dominice_? All of this was only a delectable game, a crafted tease to drive your faithful slave desperate for your kisses, your touch, your penis?”

“ _Matthaee_ , my master for a night… So intelligent, so handsome, so desirable. Mine.”

“No, not tonight, _Dominice_. Tonight, _you_ are mine. My slave, my most precious possession. You shall wipe off me the remains of these dishes; do not worry, you will enjoy them later, when I am done with you. Now, however, it is time to take pleasure in the wonders of the flesh.”

“As you wish, _Matthaee_.”

“Oh, I do wish. You may have eaten a lot already, but you have yet to take in your mouth what it lays between my legs.”

“ _Hercle!_ Leave such fancy expressions for poets, otherwise you’re going to make me laugh and certainly that’s dangerous when I have your cock down my throat!”

“ _Dominice_ , stop talking and start sucking my big, hard and thick member already. You’re filthier than all the _lupae_ you can find wandering around Ostia, so if it is obscene vocabulary that you want, you shall have it, because right now you’re my toy and I’ll treat you as the harlot you always transform me into every time we fornicate.”

“ _Gratias tibi ago, domine_.”

And that was how the master became the slave, and the slave the master, for the extent of one night only. For in Saturnalia the world upturns itself and what had always been impossible becomes reality under Saturn’s auspice.

Although, deep inside themselves, where reason is forbidden to enter and sentiments reside, both Dominicus and Matthaeus knew that they were each other’s possession and ownership, forever united by a bond greater than a simple legal contract. Amor had conquered their souls and scarred their hearts with gold.

**Author's Note:**

> These are some explanatory notes for this fic:
> 
> [Saturnalia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Saturnalia#Private_festivities) were Roman festivities celebrated during our modern Christmas' time. On the Wikipedia article linked above you can find in more detail what this festival entailed. I should also comment now that time setting is purposely left unclear, but in my mind it's set at some point during the Empire (1st-5th AD centuries).
> 
> Amor is one of the names given to Cupid, Eros' Roman equivalent; he was the god of erotic desire, sex and affection and [attacked his "victims" with golden arrows to inflict desire](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupid#Cupid.27s_arrows). Although I couldn't bring myself to resist the reference, I should say that in this case, it'd have been more accurate to mention his mother Venus, because she's the goddess of proper love (romantic sense).
> 
> Now, let's go for all those Latinisms spread out and about:
> 
>   * _Venus!_ : by Venus!
>   * _Matthaee_ : well, this one gave Tofu and I lots of work. Firstly, Tofu and I agreed on how many letters it had and how odd it sounded, so we decided to change it to 'Matteus' as RL!Dominic pronounces sometimes the "th" sound as "t" in some names ie. "Anthony". But I have changed it back, because I think it'd be more realistic to keep the "th" as it's closer to "Matthew" and to the way he pronounces Matt's complete name. Also, ['Matthaeus'](https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Matthaeus) is in nominative, and 'Matthaee' is decleansed in vocative (in case you aren't familiarised with how Latin cases work, check [this](http://www.thelatinlibrary.com/101/CaseUse2.pdf)). _Dominice_ and imprecations are also in vocative.
>   * _Patina_ : this is a pear souffle ( _patina de piris_ ), whose recipe you can find [here](http://www.tribunesandtriumphs.org/roman-life/pear-souffle.htm).
>   * _Patricii_ : plural of _patricium, -ii_ (patrician), Roman's nobility.
>   * _Domine_ : "master"; another vocative.
>   * _Hercle!_ : by Hercules! (it can also be found as " _Hercule!_ ").
>   * _Lupae_ : plural of _lupa, -ae_ (lady-wolf). Its vulgar meaning is "whores".
>   * _Gratias tibi ago_ : thank you.
> 

> 
> Last but not least, title and quote are by Lucretius and it comes from his book _De Rerum Natura_ (book 4, lines 1114-1120). This part is a very interesting (and kinda pessimistic and harsh) reflection about love, you can find it [here](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0131%3Abook%3D4%3Acard%3D1073) (for ultra nerds like me, [this](http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/hopper/text?doc=Perseus%3Atext%3A1999.02.0130%3Abook%3D4%3Acard%3D1073) is the original Latin).


End file.
